Improvement in valves for dry gas-meters



- UNITED STATES PATENT OruricEO CHARLES C. LLOYD, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO W'ILLIAM HOPPER ANDv ROBERT H. GRATZ, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVNNT IN VALVES FOR DRY GAS-METERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 20,680, dated June Q2, 1858.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GHAnLEs C. LLOYD, of the city of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Construction of Dry Gas- Meters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of the gallery (or upper part) of the gas-meter. Fig. 2 is a view of the seat of the gallery, showing the channels and val ve seat, more particularly described hereinafter. Fig. 8 is a vertical section through the meter-case on the line X Y of Fig. 2. Figs. 4, 5, 6 show the valve-carriage detached, as described hereinafter. Fig. 7 shows the carriage valve-seat and valve in their proper relative position. Figs. 8, 9, l0 are different views of the valve. Figs. ll, yl2, and 13 are different views of the valveseat.

My improvement relates to the mode ofcoustructing and operating the valve of the dry meter, so as to cause the valve to keep the valveseat free from deposit, and also so as to cause the rotary motion to loe always imparted to it in the plane parallel to that in which it is to be rotated.

A B represent the lower surface or bottom of the gallery of the gas-meter.

C C represent a circular valve, by which the gas is caused to pass into and out of the six compartments of the meter by which it is measured. Fig. 8 shows a top view of this valveC C detached, showing the two passages e e for the gas to escape alternately from one or the other cells into the gallery of the meter, y

whence it passes to supply the burners.

Fig. 9 is a side View of the valve C C, showing the notch or break f. This notch is intended to break the continuity of the lower surface olL the valve C C, as shown by Fig. 10, which represent-s the valve C C inverted. This valve C C rests upon a seat, gg',which is shown in the small top view in Fig. 2, and also detached in Fig. ll. This valveseat is circular and corresponding in size with the lower surface of the valve c c, as shown at Fig. 10. The series of passages h h h lead to or from the interior of the cells, according to the position of the valve on its seat.

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view of the valve-seat, and Fig. 18 an inverted view ofthe valve-seat.

Vhen the valve c c is placed upon the valveseat g g, as shown in its proper relative position in Fig. l, the lower surface of the valve c c fits accurately to and slides upon the seat,ex cept at the notch f. The edge of this notchf being a square corner or sharp edge scrapes or removes the resinous or other deposit which would otherwise remain and collect upon the seat, causing the valve to rise from the seat, and thereby to leak. In like manner the edges at 19 p scrape the surfaces of the radial divisions between L 7L h in the valve seat, as in Fig. 11, and the edges of qq aid p p in doing this, and also scrape and clear the surface of the valve-seat immediately surrounding the central aperture, i'.

Connected with the central or supply passage, i, of the valveseat gg, Fig. 3, there is a drip, k,wl1ich isa vertical tube 'extending to the bottom of the meter and discharging into a horizontal table, L,which is closed at its extremity, M, by a screw-cap. The gas enters from the main through the inlet-pipe to N, from which it passes by the funnel P into the vertical tube K, and thence up through the central aperture, t', in the valve-seat and into the central part, J, of the valve, and thence it passes alternately through one or the other of the passages h 7L h into the compartments of the meter. As the gas passes into the tube Kand thence into the valve, any 'vapors which may be condensed in the gas on its entrance to the meter will be conveyed by the vertical tubeK and will collect in the passage L, and can be removed therefrom at intervals by opening the screw-cap at M. The removal of these condensed vapors prevents the accumulation of liquid in the meter,which would be liable to freeze and otherwise interfere with the accu` rate action of the meter.

The rotary movement is impartedto the valve by means of a circular carriage, D D, having vertical projections d d d, which fit against the horizontal lugs or projections b b of the valve. This carriage is shown in top view at Fig. 4, in vertical section at Fig. 5, and an inverted view at Fig. 6.

Fig. 7 shows a view of the valve-seat,valve, and valve-carriage in their proper positions. The valve-carriage is connected at the center e ermee of its upper surface by a small shaft or spindle, a @which revolves through small journals in the two arms of the king-post o. A crank is attached to the upper extremity of the shaft from which it receives its motion. The ear rage being thus suspended independently of the valve7 and the rotary motion being communicated only through the medium of the projection cl d and b b to the circumference of the Valve, it prevents the val've from tilting and causes the rotary motion always to be applied in a plane parallel to the seat.

Having thus described my improvement, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The construction of the rotary valve C U, with a series of breaks or edges, as at f, p p, and q q, arranged and operating so as t0 scrape the upper surface of the valve-seat.

2. The drip k and valve-seat g g, arranged and operatingso as to collect and carry off an y liquid deposit in the meter.

8. The valve-carriage 1) D, arranged and operating substantially as above decribed.

CHARLES C. LLOYD.

Vitnesscs:

J. H. B. JENKINS, L. Y. WATRAVEN. 

